Best Buy Loses Laptop: Owner Sues... for $54 Million

Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:33PM EST

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Don't dismiss Raelyn Campbell as a crackpot. Not yet. Listen to her story, and then decide if she's doing the right thing by asking Best Buy to compensate her to the tune of $54 million for a laptop that went missing when she took it in to Best Buy for repair under the store's own extended warranty.

Like many people, Campbell bought an extended warranty for her laptop when she bought it from Best Buy, and she took advantage of that when the power button broke off after a year. Best Buy accepted the machine for repair and said it would be ready in two to six weeks. But six weeks passed and the computer wasn't ready. After three months of ruthlessly hounding the company, Best Buy finally admitted it couldn't find the machine.

Ultimately, Best Buy offered to pay her $900 for losing the machine... as a gift card. She countered that it had originally cost over $1,100, not to mention all her data that was now gone for good. She demanded $2,100, and Best Buy simply ignored her.

At this point, Campbell was made aware that all her personal data on the machine could lead to a major identity theft issue, though Best Buy never filed their legally required notice that she was at risk. That was the last straw, and she filed suit for $54 million, representing herself. Best Buy has since upped its offer to a total of $4,100 if she withdraws the case. She says she doesn't expect to win, but wants to go to court anyway to force Best Buy to explain how her laptop was lost.

I have to agree that $54 million seems wildly optimistic, but it's amazing to hear how smug Best Buy has been throughout this process. Lowball, "go-away" offers that don't even value property properly, much less the value of the data inside it, are frankly embarrassing, and good for Campbell for making an issue out of it... even if she doesn't ultimately prevail.

LINK: A lost laptop, a $54 million lawsuit 

POLL: What do you think? Should she sue? 

Comments on Best Buy Loses Laptop: Owner Sues... for $54 Million

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  • 1 Posted by agustin2489 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    ....what? This is terrible basically. Going to court just to try? *sigh* I am really disturbed by the nature of this event. Campbell should settle with that $4100 and change her credit cards, etc. Thinking this a bit through, she's marking herself as a target through this news.

  • 2 Posted by thehardestroad on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    Best Buy has a history of acting without regard, to those who shop there, once the sale is made.. I say Good for Her.. and agustin2489.. Best Buy really messed up on this part: "though Best Buy never filed their legally required notice that she was at risk" That is a big no-no in legal terms..

  • 3 Posted by magpagbst on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    ok chris . . . it appears best buy didn't handle this situation appropriately . . . stuff happens . . . but MY already inflated taxes support the court system that this lady is using to make a point . . . best buy is only guilty of poor customer service, poor communication, and neglecting policy and procedure . . . unless this lady is developmentally delayed, she should assume some culpability when she decided to take her cheap laptop with personal information in it to a large cookie-cutter brick and mortar store to be fixed . . . secondary to an obvious large volume of transactions at best buy, one must consider the possibility that the occasional problem may occur . . . this lady is having a tantrum . . . AT THE MERCY OF MY TAX DOLLARS!!!

  • 4 Posted by johnbradshaw27 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    Perhaps they should've been a little nicer to her instead of low-balling and even ignoring her.

  • 5 Posted by scotty052048 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    People who have never had to deal with identity theft have no idea of what can happen if this womans personal information falls into the wrong hands. Trying to deal with the big three credit monsters... I mean crdit bureaus can be frustrating to say the least. Speaking from experience I can tell you that after 3 years of writing letters, making phone calls and even getting a lawyer, I still have not totally fixed the problems created when my identity was stolen. And even now all it takes is one small incedent and I have to go though the whole process again. I wish her luck because quite frankly, she may have to use some of the money to establish a new identity for herself. It would be easier than fixing the old one. Best Buy's attitude needs to be changed and only a big dollar loss will do it.

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